Third-rail system.



P. H. ZUM M ALLEN.

THIRD RAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. 1914.

1,1 38,827. Patented May 11, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

int?!) r. rERS 60 PHOTO-LITHOq WASHINGTON. u. C.

P. H. ZUM MALLEN.

' THIRDRAI'L SYSTEM.

APPLICATlON FILED AUG. 15. 1914.

1,138,827; j Patented May 11, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS C04. PHOTG LITHO.. WASHING mm. D. c

P. H. ZUM MALLEN.

THIRD RA'IL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15. 1914.

1,138,827. Patented May 11, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO LITHOQ WASHINGTON. 0. C1

I vide an electrical connection PHILIP I-I. ZUM MALLEN, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.

THIRD-RAIL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed August 15, 1914. Serial No. 857,280.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP H. ZUM MAL- LEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Third-Rail Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to third rail systems wherein an interrupted or sectional third rail operates in conjunction with contact plates and automatic electrical switches; and the objects of my invention are first, to provide an improved third rail system wherein only the sections of the third rail in the vicinity of the coach are charged;

second, to provide improved means for charging or energizing a section of the third rail as the contact shoe approaches it; third, to provide improved means for deenergizing a section immediately after the contact shoe has left it; and fourth, to provide an improved electrical switch arranged to be operated by a current from the temporarily energized third rail and to temporarily probetween the power or feed wires and that section of the third rail in the vicinity of the coach or motor car. I accomplish these several features by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through the road bed and disclosing the construction and arrangement of the third rail and the manner in which a contact shoe is secured to a car or coach upon the rails and held in contact with the third rail. Fig. 2 is a broken bottom view of the third rail disclosing the adjacent ends of two sections thereof and the disposition of the contacts between the said adjacent ends by means of which a connection is made by the contact shoe with the switch operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the third rail disclosing the manner in which the contact shoe is held in contact therewith. Fig. 4: is an enlarged plain view of the electric switch and the solenoid magnet by means of which it is operated, the switch being disclosed in a closed or connected position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but with the switch shown in an open position, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit and its connections.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate the rails of a road bed secured in the usual manner to the ties 2. A coach or carriage 3 is provided with a depending arm 4 having a lateral extension 5 upon which is resiliently mounted a suitable contact shoe 6 arranged to travel in contact with the insulated sections 7, 8, 9,-

etc., of an overhanging rail secured to and insulated from an inverted U-shaped hood 10, secured to standards 12 which are in turn secured at regular intervals to the ties 2. Between the adjacent ends of the sections 7, 8, 9, etc., are arranged a pair of c0ntact plates 14, 15, 16, 17, etc., in alinement with and insulated from the adjoining sections 7 8 and 9.

For each section of the third rail there is a rotating switch 20 operatively connected to a solenoid or other suitable electromagnet 21, by means of a slotted lever 22 having a pawl 23 thereon arranged to engage a ratchet 24 secured to the switch 20. A spring controlled pawl 25 is arranged to engage the ratchet 24 and prevent a return movement of the same. The switch 20 is arranged to connect the terminals 27 and 28 while in one position, so as to complete a connection 30 between a feed wire 31 and each insulated section of the third rail sections 7, 8, 9, etc. Stop pins 34: and 35 are arranged to limit the movement of the lever 22 so that an impulse of the solenoid 21 will produce approximately a one-quarter revolution of the ratchet 2tand consequently of the switch 20, while the spring 36 interposed between the solenoid 21 and end 37 of the core 38 of the said solenoid 21 is arranged to return the lever 22 to a normal position against the stop pin 34 whenever the solenoid 21 is deenergized. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that each impulse imparted to the solenoid21 will cause the core 38 thereof to operate the lever 22 and rotate the switch 20 through one-quarter of a revolution. Inasmuch as the terminals 27 and 28 are diametrically opposed, it will be readily seen that each movement of the lever 22 will alternately open and close the switch 20. Each solenoid 21 for each insulated section of the third rail has a connection 40 to the ground or rails 1, while the other side of plate 15, connection 41, solenoid 21 and the solenoid 21 has a double connection 41 which connects the solenoid 21 of each section to each of the contacts nearest the adj acent sections. In other words, the solenoid 21 for the section 8 is connected to the contact plates 14 and 17, which are nearest the ends of the adjacent sections 7 and 9, respectively, of the third rail, while the solenoid 21 for the section 9 is connected to the; contact plate 16 nearest the section 8 and of course is provided with a connection to the contact plate, not shown, adjacent or nearest the section beyond the section 9 The operation is as follows: The car A travels over the rails 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6 of the drawings. It is assumed that the car starts by having the contact shoe 6 on a live section. While the said shoe 6 is in contact with the energized section 7, for instance, the switch 20 for that section will, of course, be closed, which will complete the connection 30 between the feed wire 31 and the section 7. As the contact shoe 6 produces the connection between the section 7 and the contact 14-, a portion of the current from the feed wire 31, connection 30, and section 7 will travel through the shoe 6, contact plate 14 and connection tl to the solenoid 21, and connection 10 to the rails 1. This will impart an impulse to the solenoid 21 of the section 8 and cause the core 38 thereof to move the slotted lever 22 and close the switch 20 to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This will close the connection 30 between the feed wire 31 and section 8, thereby energizing that section before the section 7 is deenergized, which will take place in the following manner: As the car A moves onward and assumes the position disclosed in Fig. 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that the contact shoe 6 will make a connection between the contacts 14 and 15, but as the connections of these contacts are grounded, no impulse will be imparted to any solenoid to which they may be connected. As the car A moves farther onward and closes a connection between the section 8, which is now energized, and the contact plate 15, it will be seen by referring to Fig. 6 of the drawings, that a current will travel through the connection 30, which has been closed by the switch 20, through the section 8 to the contact shoe 6, contact connection 40 to the ground or rails 1. The impulse thus imparted to the solenoid 21 will cause a movement of the core 38 and slotted lever 22 and open the switch 20 in the connection 30 between the feed wire 31 and the section 7. As the contact shoe 6 travels in contact with the charged section 8, the current is, of course, carried into the car A through the usual connections, not shown, as this invention has to do only with charging the sections successively. As the contact shoe 6 forms a contact between the charged section 8 and the contact plate 16, a portion of the current from the charged section 8 will travel through the connection 4.1, solenoid 21, and connection 10 to the ground or rails 1, thereby operating the core 38 and lever 22 and closing the switch in the connection 30 leading from the feed wire 31 to the section 9, thereby energizing the said section 9 before the contact shoe closes the connection between the plate 17 and the, (then) charged section 8, which will cause a portion of the current from the section 9 to flow through the solenoid 21 of the section 8 and open the switch 20 in the connection 30 for the said section 8, thereby deenergizing the said section 8. Briefly, by referring to the diagram in Fig. 6 of the drawings, it will be observed that a section in front of the car A will be energized before the section with which the contact shoe 6 is in contact is deenergized.

It will be seen from the above, that a section which the car A is approaching is always energized before the energized section is deenergized. Consequently, there will always be an energized section in the vicinity of the car. Should the car A stop in the middle of the section 8, for instance, and travel backward, it will be seen that as soon as the contact shoe 6 makes the connection between the end of the charged section 8 and contact plate 15, that the solenoid 21 of the section 7 will receive an impulse and the switch 20 for the said section 7 will be closed, thereby energizing that section before the car or contact shoe 6 thereon reaches it.

It is obvious from the foregoing that the car A may stop on any section and starting again, may travel in either direction and will operate a switch 20, which will close the proper connection and energize the section which the car A is approaching. It is also obvious that inasmuch as each switch operating mechanism has two plates, one on either end of the section to which it belongs, that a contact with the first plate will close the switch and a second contact with the same or a second plate, as the car is leaving that section will open the switch, thereby deenergizing the section which the car has left.

It is also obvious, that a section being approached by the car will be energized before the section on which it is traveling or which it has left is deenergized.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a third rail system, the combination of a third rail composed of insulated sections; a pair of contact plates between the adjacent ends of each section and in alinement therewith; a feed wire; an electrical connection between the feed wire and each insulated section of the third rail; a separate switch for each section of the third rail and arranged to open and close the connection between the feed wire and that section; an electromagnet arranged to close and open the switch with each alternate movement; an electrical connection between the magnet and that one of each pair of contact plates nearest the end of each adjacent section; and a contact shoe arranged to connect a section of the third rail, temporarily connected to the feed Wire, with the contact plate in connection with the electromagnet of the section in advance thereby operating the switch of the said section in advance and connecting the feed wire with that section of the third rail.

2. In a third rail system, the combination of a third rail composed of insulated sections; a pair of contact plates between the adjacent ends of each section and in alinement therewith; a feed wire; an electrical connection between the feed wire and each insulated section of the third rail; a separate switch for each section of the third rail and arranged to open and close the connection between the feed wire and that section; an electromagnet arranged to close and open the switch with each alternate movement; an electrical connection between the magnet and that one of each pair of contact plates nearest the end of each adjacent section; and a contact shoe arranged to connect a section of the third rail, temporarily con nected to the feed wire, with the contact plate in connection with the electromagnet of the section in advance thereby operating the switch of the said section in advance and connecting the feed wire with that section of the third rail; and to connect the said section with the contact plate in connection with the electromagnet of the section in the rear, thereby operating the switch of the said section in the rear and disconnecting the feed wire from the said section.

3. In a third rail system, the combination of a third rail composed of insulated sections; a pair of insulated contacts between the ends of each section; a feed wire; a'

separate connection between the feed wire and each section; a separate switch for each section arranged to open the connection between the feed wire and the section at each alternate movement thereof and to close the said connection at every other alternate magnet and causing the switch of that section to connect that section with the feed wire, and to connect the section in the rear with the contact in connection with the magnet of that section.

4. In a third rail system, the combination of a third rail composed of insulated sections; a pair of insulated contacts between the ends of each section and alined therewith; i a feed wire; a separate connection between the feed wire and each section; a separate switch for each section arranged to open the connection between the feed wire and the section at each alternate movement thereof and to close the said connection at every other alternate movement thereof;

an electric magnet for each section connected to the ground and to each of the contacts nearest the adjacent sections; and a contact shoe arranged to travel in' contact with the sections of the third rail and the contacts alined therewith and to connect a section with the contact in connection with the electromagnet of the section in advance, thereby imparting an impulse to the said magnet and causing the switch of that section to connect the same with the feed wire, and to connect the section in advance with the contact inconnection with the magnet of the section in the rear thereby imparting an impulse to the said magnet and causing the switch of the section in the rear to open the connection between the said section and the feed wire.

I11 witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP H. ZUM MALLEN. Witnesses:

J. C. RnIrsNIDnR, E. M. NIoHoLs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

